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A voice of support for early learning scholarships

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April 8, 2014

By: Marie Huey

Marie Huey

As a Family Educator for Way to Grow, I see first-hand how Minneapolis families benefit from high quality preschool programs. I am amazed at the academic progress youngsters make when they are in an environment that is intentionally designed to support their learning.

I am also amazed at the expenses of running a high-quality preschool. The cost of hiring educated staff, purchasing and replenishing materials, and providing transportation is astounding. Because quality early education is one strategy to help close the achievement gap, I support the MinneMinds Campaign to provide Early Learning Scholarships. Scholarships are currently awarded to children whose families are at or below 185% of the poverty line and want to participate in various programs that meet Parent Aware standards. MinneMinds is seeking to increase access to quality early education programs by providing more of these scholarships.

I believe all children should be able to attend high-quality early learning programs regardless of income. Every child deserves a home environment rich in literacy and emotional support from birth. Until we can make that a reality, I believe greater access to early education through scholarships is a good place to start and a worthwhile investment. It is an action we can take right now to help our children succeed. I encourage you to join me in showing support for the MinneMinds Campaign.